UWSP majors cuts: 10 students on what they make of the new plan, student reaction

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Chancellor Bernie Patterson proposed eliminating six humanities majors at the school.
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

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Protesters enter Old Main, the university's administration building, for a sit-in to protest a proposal to cut 13 liberal arts majors at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in Stevens Point, Wis., Wednesday, March 21, 2018. (Photo11: Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)Buy Photo

STEVENS POINT - Students at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point have mixed reactions to a new plan to cut six majors — a contrast to starker public outcry that followed the university's spring proposal to cut 13 majors.

But USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin interviews with several dozen students in the immediate release of the new plan found while some students remain skeptical, and angry, about the university's move to eliminate majors and faculty, others have stopped paying attention, moved on or understand, even accept, the need for cuts.

UW-Stevens Point announced on Nov. 12 a new plan to cut an initial six humanities and science majors and conduct a massive reorganization of its academic departments and colleges. The framework, however, leaves open cutting additional majors in future years.

In the spring, the school's proposal to cut 13 humanities and social sciences majors sparked several protests, including a sit-in demonstration of the university's administration building. Student reaction to the new proposal has been far more muted, said Brailey Kerber, who heads the Student Government Association. Tempered by low campuswide morale and eight months of discussion on ideas and alternatives, students' attitudes range from reluctant acceptance to apathy and ambivalence, all the way to continued skepticism and anger.

Kerber said much of the sentiment appears to vary by whose majors and faculty face cuts.

The university will look to work out further details for the new framework through the next three months, such as how faculty cuts will manifest and how much in savings the plan could realize as the campus faces a near $8 million structural deficit through the next three years.

Here are 10 UW-Stevens Point students on what they make of the new plan.

'I am very skeptical of it making a difference'

Madeline Abbatacola, a 21-year-old senior history and wildlife ecology major

I am very skeptical of it making a difference because there were no hard budget numbers attached to (the proposal). Six majors is a very different number from 13 and closing an entire college and restructuring the entire university is a big change.

It is pretty sad with the lack of awareness and the disinterest in the proposal. I think a lot people saw it was just six majors and that it wasn’t as deep as planned, but I don’t think that (will be) the case.

A lot of my peers and I doubted that they truly had a commitment to the liberal arts. The first proposal was pretty much only liberal arts degrees but they kept saying, 'No, we'll still teach the humanities.' It was hard to believe and now they’re giving us some tangible plans.

'I’m just concerned about getting the degrees I want without changing my whole life plan'

Arial Everett, a 19-year-old freshman broad-field social science major

I have no clue what I’m going to do. I’m just concerned about getting the degrees I want without changing my whole life plan. I’m just really worried about how it will affect current students and future students.

At a university you’re able to do whatever your interests are. As long as they don’t cut that, I feel we’ll always be a university rather than a technical school. I know they will have the college of Fine Arts and Humanities. So as long as they that they’ll be fine.

'I don’t have a nuanced opinion. I feel like people are still taking it all in'

Bryn Abramsom, a 22-year-old senior psychology major

I don’t have a nuanced opinion. I feel like people are still taking it all in. While I can respect it’s difficult to deal with the budget, ultimately it’s about the students and if they’re not happy then I think that’s wrong.

'I just felt we had a different identity'

Olivia Kim, a 22-year-old senior communications major

I just felt we had a different identity compared to other UW System (schools) and now maybe not so much. We’re creating all these new majors. I don’t know if that will be a good marketing technique. I don’t know if students will gravitate toward those new majors.

'It doesn’t really affect me'

Zach Heil, a 21-year-old computer science major

It doesn’t really affect me. I haven’t really looked into the details of the cuts. I’m a senior and I’m getting out soon. I’m probably one to complain about taking a humanity when I think I don’t really need one, especially when I spend so much money here.

'It’s not even my staff that’s being cut and I think it’s dumb'

It’s not even my staff that’s being cut and I think it’s dumb. The College of Letters and Science’s structure is still useful to us forestry guys. (The restructuring) puts an unnecessary burden on other colleges to fill those gaps.

I am well aware of what the liberal arts are good for. There’s another tech school in town. You’ll force people to other universities and put us in an area we’re not prepared for.

'I think the colleges’ restructuring is a really good opportunity for collaboration'

I think the colleges’ restructuring is a really good opportunity for collaboration. So, I’m excited about the future collaboration possibilities there.

The students who are most affected are whose programs are most affected by this. Those are students who have shown us they are frustrated or upset, but there are other groups of students who say this is better than the original but still not perfect. There’s another group of students who have said we have a budget deficit to address and this seems to be solution — no matter how much we don’t like it.

'It was disheartening, of course, to see history on the list again'

Kim Mueller, a 21-year-old broad-field social science major, UW-Stevens Point Student Government Association chief of staff

It was disheartening, of course, to see history on the list again, but I also do work for (the Student Government Association). So, I’ve had the opportunity to kind of be update on what was going on in (UW-Stevens Point Provost Greg Summers’s advisory group) and really understand the need for restructuring and potential program discontinuance.

The proposal that was put out really outlines integrating the humanities into other parts of campus and that needs to be rolled out as currently stated in order to avoid the humanities not being completely gutted. It needs to be integrated into other parts of campus.

If the large amount of program discontinuance is going to come from a liberal arts education, from the humanities, then it needs to find another place on our campus. The proposal does a decent job of laying that out but it actually needs to be followed through on.

'I just don’t want to see those quality professors go, because that in turn affects my education'

Ben Vanderlogt, a 21-year-old junior broad-field social science major

I like to advocate for my professors in the history department just because I want to have quality professors. I know some of them, it’s hard to say it, but some professors are going to be better than others. I just don’t want to see those quality professors go,because that in turn affects my education and with the cutting of the major it’s obvious some professors will end up having to leave.

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Students march through campus during the March for the Arts and Humanities to protest against a proposal to cut 13 liberal arts majors at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, April 12, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Students make signs before the March for the Arts and Humanities to protest against a proposal to cut 13 liberal arts majors at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, April 12, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

A student wears a pin while making signs before the March for the Arts and Humanities to protest against a proposal to cut 13 liberal arts majors at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, April 12, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Event organizer Mackenzie Madison, a junior studying fine arts and art history, leads the march through campus during the March for the Arts and Humanities to protest against a proposal to cut 13 liberal arts majors at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, April 12, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Students walk through campus during the March for the Arts and Humanities to protest against a proposal to cut 13 liberal arts majors at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, April 12, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Students walk through campus during the March for the Arts and Humanities to protest against a proposal to cut 13 liberal arts majors at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, April 12, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Students walk through campus during the March for the Arts and Humanities to protest against a proposal to cut 13 liberal arts majors at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, April 12, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

A student holds up a sign during the March for the Arts and Humanities to protest against a proposal to cut 13 liberal arts majors at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, April 12, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Students march through campus during the March for the Arts and Humanities to protest against a proposal to cut 13 liberal arts majors at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, April 12, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Students and faculty wait for the start of the March for the Arts and Humanities to protest against a proposal to cut 13 liberal arts majors at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, April 12, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Students march along Main Street during the March for the Arts and Humanities to protest against a proposal to cut 13 liberal arts majors at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, April 12, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin